Cleansing of Sin
by KaldarBrokenhorn
Summary: Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Wrath, Greed, and Sloth. The Seven Deadly Sins. The Seven Deadly Humunculi. Five are already gone, leaving the world through death or the gate. But will they stay gone? My thoughts of how the series should have ended
1. Chapter 1

**KaldarBrokenhorn: **Okay before you get to reading this i must make a few things clear.

1. I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters in this chapter. (This may change later)

2. This is my first attempt at a fanfiction, and as such i dont expect a great out come of it, but any would be nice

3. I will accept any accept and reply to any and all criticisms and praise, however i wont promise the same with flaming.

4. I have seen the entire series and the movie and i feel that the ending needs to die a horrible death at the hands of the many. Thus the reason for my fic.

I guess thats it, i hope you enjoy.

"Through so many sacrifices, I was made the Philosophers stone." Al, the large hulking suit of armor with a soul, knelled down next to his brother who lay bleeding on the floor in front of him.

As he prepared to do the impossible, a scream echoed in the large room, "NO!" Envy jumped for Al to try and stop him from ruining himself.

"It'll be close," Al said as he clapped his hands together, "Rose, tell him not to come for me. Tell him to live happily and forget that stupid promise." As he finished speaking a brilliant light filled the room.

Rose stood there horrified at what was happening and what Al said, "tell him not to come for me." What did that mean? Did Al think that Ed would try again? After all this time, after all that had happened was Ed still capable of trying to save Al's body again? She didn't have time to think farther as the light dimmed and only Ed's body was left in the room with her.

Ed couldn't believe it. Al had given his life for him. But wasn't he the elder? Wasn't his promise to save Al?

Shakily Ed rose to his feet, with a lot of help from Rose, and looked around the lavish golden interior of the house in the buried city. It didn't seem right. Shielding his eyes from the light he stared at the unfamiliar sight of a flesh and blood arm, a parting gift from Al.

"Rose," Ed said looking at the girl, "we need to go. Lets get out of this town and go home."

She just stood there and stared at him. "Are you ok? Can you even walk?" she asked cradling the child closer to her breast to keep it from thrashing about and hurting itself.

"Huh?" Ed put his new hand behind his head and forced a laugh, "Yeah I'm fine, this place just gives me the creeps." Pulling his hand down he let out a sigh, "Actually, Rose, if you could go on ahead and give me a minute I'll be right with you."

She was started. His actions told her that he was just tired and wanted to say good bye, and she would have been fine with leaving him, if not for the look in his eyes that told her that he was going to do something stupid.

"Ed?"

"What is it?"

How was she going to say this, to give Ed, Al's parting words. "Best be blunt," she thought. "Before Al transmuted your body and soul back together, he told me to tell you something." Rose was now staring at the ground hoping for an answer to spring up at her.

"What! What did he say?" Ed was frantic, a message from Al and she's hiding it! His head was racing, what could he have wanted to say?

"Ed… Al doesn't, well, he said he doesn't want you to come for him. He wants you to go home, and live happy."

He couldn't move. He was rooted to the spot horrified at Al's final message for his brother.

"He wants you to forget the promise you made him, and move on."

That was it. Ed was practically in tears now. His younger brother just sacrificed himself for him and now he wasn't supposed to do anything. "Damn it Al. Why did you have to go and do something like that. I was supposed to bring your body back. Then live happily with you and Auntie Pinako and Winry. …Winry… He had only seen he not a day ago and he was already missing her. It was funny, all this had happened and still all he could think about once his mind came close to a memory of her, was her. Her smile, her voice, the cute faces she made when fixing his automail, or the fact that she was so strong, always watching from the sidelines and supporting the brothers, even if she didn't agree with what they were doing.

Ed gradually felt himself start to calm down. The tears stopped flowing, and the sad, mortified feeling he had been overcome with subsided to a numb understanding. Al had been trapped in that suit of armor for so long, he forgot how to be human anyway, so he did what he new to be right. How would it look in his eyes if Ed threw his gift away. It would make him look selfish and greedy, and he never wanted to look like that in Al's eyes ever.

"Rose," Ed managed to say with a half hearted laugh, "Rose, lets go home." He got to his feet again and headed for the stairs.

Izumi stood at the bottom of the long staircase looking over the sunken city with Russell and Fletcher. "This is the way he came. Beyond that, we don't know where he went."

"We have no choice but to hope we find him in good health."

Just then a scream echoes through the submerged city.

"That was Edward! We have to find him." Shouted Izumi as she sprinted towards where she perceived the sound to be coming from, with both Russell and Fletcher hot on her heels.

"Aaaarg" Ed screamed as gluttony threw his body on his enemy. "Gah. Rose, get out of here. GO."

Gluttony was nipping wildly at the Fullmetal Alchemist trying to feed his insatiable hunger, and drooling his acidic saliva on the boys coat sleeve.

Ed struggled as hard as he could to keep the savage homunculi from eating any part of him, but he wasn't able to. Ed started to lose his strength when Gluttony made a swift and sudden movement with his mouth turning it from Ed's head to his right arm biting through it and spraying blood every where, before continuing up his arm.

Rose stood watching this horrible attack on Ed, until his screams of pain shunted her back to reality. Reacting be for she had a chance to think she swooped down and grabbed a rock from the ground, she then hurled it with all the strength she could muster with out dropping the baby, who was now screaming as louder the Edward at the loud screams, at the hulking brute that was enjoying Ed's elbow. The rock flew fast and on target, hitting gluttony right in the side of the head, causing him to look toward Rose with rage, blood dripping down his mouth and a crazed look in his eye.

Gluttony removed himself from the still screaming and withering alchemist, and advanced on Rose.

Rose turned to run only to find that she was backed into the wall by the brute. The baby still screaming in her arms she huddled down to protect him. She began to pray. Pray very hard that her and the baby wouldn't be hurt by the hulking monstrosity, or his appetite.

Izumi heard the screams of both Ed and a baby coming from a very large building towards the beginning of the town. Throwing the door open she almost faints at the sight. Edward is withering in pain on the floor clutching the stump where his right arm once was, and a large round man advancing on a young women huddled in a corner attempting to protect her baby.

With out any more thought needed Izumi clapped her hands and through them on the ground with a burst of blue light, creating a giant hand of rock that shot out and ran gluttony through the wall and kept going.

She rushed over to her old pupil and saw that his arm was freshly torn off and there was no trace of automail ever existing on his shoulder.

"You, the small one." She bellowed at Fletcher, who was mortified at the sight before him but turned his attention towards her at her call. "Grab the girl and get out of here, and you," she continued, yelling at Russell, "Get over here and give me a hand with him, he's lost a lot of blood and doest look like he is going anywhere anytime soon."

Springing into action the brothers did as they were told, Fletcher, helping Rose to her feet and leading her and the terrified baby towards the exit, and Russell tearing off his shirt ready to bind Edward's arm.

Fletcher led Rose along the streets and pathways until they got to the entrance of the stairwell leading to the surface. He stopped and turned to the city.

"Brother, where are you."

As if to answer his question a building between him and Dante's house crumbled and left a dust cloud to linger over the area.

Ed was more conscious then before, with his transmuted shirt-cloth bandage stopping his bleeding. Now he was running from Gluttony who was chasing his meal down the abandoned streets of the empty city.

"Teacher, we have to do something. If we let if get back to the city it could kill all of Central." He screamed to his former teacher.

Izumi spun on her heel, clapped her hands together and slammed them on the ground resulting in a blue flash of light and a huge pit to appear underneath the homunculus.

Gluttony, being very large and in an enraged state failed to react until it was too late and the pit was closing itself leaving him 400 ft below the already sunken city.

Izumi dropped to her knees and started to cough up blood, spraying all over her arms and the new ground in front of her. "That should stop the fucker for a while," she managed to say between coughs.

"Come on. I hate this place. Lets go." Came a woozy Edward, as the world around him spun and went black. The last thing he heard was his sensei shout his name, "EDWARD"

Well i hope you enjoyed it. feel free to reveiw.


	2. Chapter 2

**KaldarBrokenhorn: **Well it's been a week and i am disapointed at the number or comments i got. I know the last chapter was rushed, i was kinda nervous and the such. Anyway, thanks to Skyforger for reveiwing and giving me the first, and only, reveiw. THANKS! and now for the three or four of you that actually read this, CHAPTER TWO!

* * *

He had been there for nearly two days and was still not waking up. If Winry was worried when he was first brought there, then she was beside herself now. Today was Sunday, a very promising day beginning with the sun rising to the east in a picture perfect sunrise. The day went on, a beautiful day, blue cloudless sky, warm temperature and a pleasing breeze coming from the west window of the room Ed was given. She was sitting on the head of the bed almost dangling over him with concern. He looked so peaceful lying there on the bed, and basking in the sun.

Granny had gone with Izumi to Rush Valley to get parts for Edward's new arm, and then to Dabris to pick up her husband. Izumi had decided to get him, or at least let him know what was going on, and come back to help with Ed. And probably kick the shit out of him.

Winry exhaled deeply and looked out the window. "It sure is getting late. And he still won't wake up." She said as she looked back to him. The sun was getting low on the western horizon and was shining brightly on his face. "Why won't you wake up? I know Al is gone, but you still have Izumi, Granny, Mustang, Hawkeye, and… me." She listed off the names of the people she knew, or at least thought, wanted him to pull through. "We all still love you… I still love you." She said this last part with her face in her hands as the tears began to flow down her cheeks.

She was crying really hard, for her at least. Winry couldn't remember the last time she had cried over the boy in front of her. And she didn't notice as a tear drop ran down her hand and dripped off onto Ed's forehead, causing him to stir.

"Uuuuhh," Ed gave a slight moan as he opened his eyes to see the beautiful blonde crying over him, perfectly outlined by the setting sun behind her. A truly beautiful sight for him to behold, with the exception of the tears. "Winry." He managed to say in a weak voice.

As feeble as his voice was, it was still enough to shock the young girl back to reality. Tearing her hands from her eyes to see Ed looking at her with concern. "ED!" she screamed lunging out on top of him and burying her face in his chest, making him wince in pain. "Oh god Ed I was starting to think that you wouldn't wake up. That you didn't want to wake. Oh Ed." Her sobs got faster and louder, and he could feel the blanket on top of him begin to soak with tears.

With all the strength he had, he put is left arm on her back and began to rub her back supportively. "Winry, I'll be fine. I just need some time to rest. I'm sorry for worrying you. I didn't mean to cause you so much trouble and heartache.

"GOD DAMN IT ED!" she shouted, suddenly getting angry, "You say that every time. 'I'm fine. Just need rest. Didn't mean to hurt ch'a!" mocking his tone of voice, "your always saying that. But do you even mean it." Her voice broke down to a whisper until it trailed away, but still keeping a firm lock on his eyes with hers. "You're gone so often, we rarely see each other, and when we do see each other you or Al usually needs something. Why can't you just stay put. Stay home with Granny and … and …me." She pulled away from him and replaced her face in her hands again expecting to cry, but no tears came, maybe she was done crying over him.

Ed was scared. He'd never seen Winry like this. And he didn't like it. Especially knowing that he had caused her to be this way. Searching in his mind he couldn't find anything to say or do that would show that what she said wasn't true. Then he came across the memory of being in Dante's ballroom. He remembered thinking about her and how it felt to know she was waiting for him. Always waiting for him. Then he knew what to do. But it would mean admitting something to her, and himself, that he had been denying for a long time. He sat up on the edge of his bed and looked down at the floor.

"Winry, I…" he had barely gotten the words out of his mouth when she spoke up. He raised his head to her.

"No, it's alright. I'm the one that should be sorry. I overreacted. I know you come back as often as you can. But that only happens when the military allows that. Which usually means when you need maintenance work done. It's not your fault. I'm sorry." She looked back up at him as the words "love you" died on his lips. He didn't know why but his willingness to say them plummeted as soon as he knew she forgave him. But he knew, that that didn't make his feelings for her any less real.

"Are you hungry?" Winry asked, looking for a way to get away from the uncomfortable silence that ensued after her apology.

Ed, still a little stricken at what had happened, could only nod.

"Good. I'll go fix you something to eat. You haven't eaten since you got back. Just lie down and I will be right back."

It all hit him like a ton of bricks. Shooting out his hand to grasp her wrist as she stood to leave the room, he started drilling her with questions at the top of his voice. The worry apparent on his face.

"What happened after I passed out? Where is Sensei? Is she alright? What happened to Rose? Fletcher, and Russell? Gluttony! What about Gluttony?"

Winry was taken aback by the sudden bombardment of questions that she could only mumble.

"Winry! Winry what happened!"

Easing out of Ed's grasp she started to explain. "Everyone is fine Ed. Izumi and Pinako went to Dabris to talk to Sieg and stop at Rush Valley for parts for a new arm for you." She said and gestured to his vacant right shoulder. "Rose, Russell, and Fletcher are all ok. After the incident, Russell and Fletcher decided it was best to split off from us to avoid the military. They are taking Rose to be with her people and going on their own journeys. As for Gluttony. Well… I don't know." She mumbled looking down. "Izumi doesn't think that he is dead but they didn't have anymore problems with him while taking you out."

Ed was extremely relieved to hear that his friends were ok, but a little disturbed on the news of Gluttony. He couldn't be dead. That couldn't have killed him. Could it?

"One more question, Winry. Why was I brought here?" he asked, still a little confused as to how he got here.

"Oh. Well you know how Izumi is. She doesn't trust the military, for good reason if you ask me," the blonde added under her breath, "and Central was in an uproar. And with you being deemed a traitor, she didn't like the idea of giving you to a military doctor. So she went to a friend of hers house, got you fixed up, borrowed a wagon and brought you back here." Winry exhaled after her long winded explanation.

"Oh. Okay." Still tired beyond belief he lay back down and stared at the ceiling. Winry took the opportunity to excuse herself to get dinner.

* * *

Down in the kitchen, Winry was preparing a dinner for her and Edward. All the while thinking about Ed.

"Damn it." She thought. "Why did I have to fall in love with someone that can't or won't love me back? I wish I could tell him how I feel. But that would only lead to putting more distance between us. No." she said firmly. "If I can't get closer, then this will have to do. Better to have it be like it is, then to never see him again." Winry sighed onto the cutting board where she was slicing bread off for sandwiches. Checking the clock, she saw that it was nearly 8:00 pm. "Oh wow. Is it that late already? Time sure flies when you're worried as all hell." She put down the knife to get the rest of the sandwich fixings out of the refrigerator.

"Winry," Ed was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, "I'm sorry but I have more questions that I can't wait for."

Turning on her heel at the sound of his voice, she noticed he was leaning especially hard on the wall, trying to keep himself up. "ED! Why are you standing?" She rushed over, helped him to a chair, and sat him down. "You shouldn't be moving around yet. Your body took a lot of damage and it is going to take a long time to heal. If you keep doing this you're going to end up killing yourself."

"Sorry. I just have a lot I need to know."

"Like what." She asked irritated.

"Mustang."

"Oh… you mean what happened to him." She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh, "I cant tell you the details, but he is alive. The Fuhrer is gone. No one has seen him since Mustang broke into his house."

"Hmmm. So Mustang killed Pride, Wrath killed Lust, Envy went through the gate, and I killed Greed and Sloth. Wrath." Looking back at Winry, "What about Wrath. Did Izumi say anything about Wrath."

"What? No she didn't say anything about a Wrath. I don't think she went farther into the city then to get you."

Letting out a sigh, Ed put his head back, "Hmmm. Even if he did live through that I don't think he will be a lot of a threat. But then there is Gluttony. He is going to be extremely dangerous. I have to rid the world of him before I'll be able to rest."

Hundreds of visions of a dead or devoured Edward flashed through Winry's mind, each ending in Ed's death and blood sprayed across the walls. She nearly became physically sick.

"Winry are you ok? You are really pale?" Ed asked in concern.

"Why…" she began, fighting back her tears, "why does it always have to be you? Why can't you let someone else deal with Gluttony? Mustang will do it when he gets better. Or Major Armstrong. Or, or…well someone will take care of him. It doesn't always have to be you." Practically screaming she sunk to her knees in front of Ed.

"Winry…" concern flooding his voice again, "Winry this time I have to. He took from me something that I held very dear. My right arm. Last time I sacrificed it for Al, but he managed to give it back to me. Then Gluttony… he took one of the last things I had from Al. It's not just that it's me this time. Its that he took Al's last gift for me," Ed's left hand went up to the stub of his right arm and gave it a squeeze, "he took what Al had worked so hard to give back to me. And for that I will kill him."

Winry was still crying, arms crossed on his knees, but stopped and looked up at him when he finished, fear apparent in her eyes.

"But don't worry, Winry. After everything is all said and done, I will return to you, I promise." He reached his hand up and brushed away a strand of hair from the center of her face and locked eyes with her. In her eyes he saw so two strong emotions: fear and… and… love. He didn't know why but there was love in her eyes. "I wonder." He thought, as he leaned down to her, lips ready.

She leaned forward, into his kiss, and embraced his lips with hers. Ed's head was swimming. He had wanted this for so long, even if he had denied it for just as long. They were finally together, if for a brief moment before a voice rang through the house, "Winry, we're back. Has Ed woken yet?"

Pinako's voice came from the front door jarring Ed and Winry away from each other, both rather red at what had just happened but both extremely pleased. "Granny I'm in the kitchen, Ed woke up and he is in here too. We're just about to eat dinner. Is Izumi with you?" But before could finish her question, Izumi was in the kitchen round house kicking Ed backwards off the chair.

"If you EVER do something like that again I will send you to the gate myself." Izumi fumed over her semi-conscious ex-student.

Winry leapt to her feet to stop the enraged Izumi from going farther. "Stop! He is still weak. Hurting him now could kill him."

"Stop protecting him." Izumi spat. "If it wasn't for him…"

"If it wasn't for him the military never would have uncovered the truths that they did. He helped to cleanse a tainted people." Sieg was standing behind her with his hand on her shoulder. "That boy has done more for the greater good then you give him credit for. He undertook so many unnessicary hardships to help others and hunt the homunculi. And I think he needs his rest." Sieg squeezed past his wife and picked up Ed.

"You're right honey. But I am still going to have a talk to him when he gets better. And able to defend himself." She added at the look on Winry's face, as the large butcher carried the unconscious alchemist up to his room.

"Uh… could someone show me where to put him?"


	3. Chapter 3

**KaldarBrokenhorn:** How is everyone doing tonight? well this is the third instalment of many more to come (i hope). i hope you like it. it is going to have a little more fluff then the last two and (i think) a little more humor. i may be making some changes to it tomorrow or friday, because i havent even ran this by my beta reader yet, but here is version one of chapter three.

* * *

It was close to three in the morning when Winry slid open the door of Ed's room. "Ed? Ed are you awake?" 

"Winry? Yeah, I'm up." Ed responded, sitting up in his bed and turning on the light on the bed stand next to his bed.

"Ed, I… I couldn't sleep."

"Neither could I."

Winry, clad only in her night gown, walked over and sat on the foot of his bed. Uncomfortable with the silence, Winry decided to break it. "Ed, what happened today?"

Ed let out the breath he had been holding since she sat down. He had been wondering that too. "I'm not sure," was all he could say.

Shifting slightly, Winry brought her feet up to her chest and turned her body to Edward.

The two teenagers sat there in silence both searching for the words to solve all their problems. To Ed, they never came.

After ten minutes it was Winry who spoke first. "Did you kiss me, or did I kiss you?"

Ed thought he had been prepared for her reaction, expecting anger or sadness, but he was wrong. "What…?" he stuttered, "Oh, um, well, the thing about that is…" finally giving in to what he desperately yearned to say, he told her, "I kissed you. Winry. Winry look at me." He stretched forward and brought her face up, so that they were eye to eye, "Winry, I love you. I don't know how long I have loved you, but I do. I don't expect you to feel the same way or anywhere near it for that matter, I just hope we can stay…"

Winry listen to the confession with a soaring heart, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. He loved her. And that was enough for her. She through herself across the bed and locked his lips with hers, cutting off his dilutions of inferiority.

It took Ed a couple of seconds before he realized what had happened. In the force of her lunge, he was forced onto his back, with Winry right on top of him lips burning with passion. But when he finally came to his senses, he kissed her back with matching passion, causing Winry to moan with glee.

After what seemed like no time at all, in reality three minutes, Winry broke the kiss but stayed on top of Ed. "Ed, I know it's kinda obvious now but," Winry began to blush as she ran over her words in her head before she spoke them, "I… I really love you too. And every time you left without me saying anything, well… it kinda killed me a little. I'm sorry about the wrenches and the hitting you in the head, but I really just wanted you to come to see _me_ and not for the repairs. I guess I was getting jealous of your automail."

Fixing the stray stand of hair again, he placed his forehead to hers and caught her eyes, "Winry, there is nothing to be jealous about. The automail may be the reason I was given leave to come home, but I always couldn't wait to see you. I see that now. You were the reason I still call this place home. Home is where the heart is, and you have mine."

Winry started to tear up again at his words, and started another passionate kiss. The teenagers continued to kiss until the kiss was broke again. This time by Ed.

"Winry?"

"What?" she wondered.

"Well, it's just that… I am going to have to go again. After Gluttony. You understand right?"

Adjusting herself so that her head rested on his warm chest, she replied, "I know. I don't like it, but I understand. But Ed," she said raising to met his eyes again, "promise me one thing, promise me…"

"I promise I will come home, that I will return to you."

"No, it's not that. I know you will now. But promise me that you wont hunt him down for revenge. I know what he did, and you have every right to hate him, but if you let your head get clouded you always end up making mistakes. And I don't want to be sent you automail arm back in a box." She ended her speech with tears in her eyes, showing Ed just how much this promise meant to her.

"Winry I promise you that I wont seek revenge. As much as it hurts I know your right. Vengeance will only lead me into trouble. And I have had enough of that. This is equivalent exchange. Imagine all of the deaths that Gluttony has caused. All the people that were devoured by him on his rampage to fill his hunger. This isn't just revenge, Winry, it's justice."

Winry didn't like the look of hatred in Ed's eyes, but she turned that around when she kissed him again.

"Don't talk about him now. Lets just let tonight be you and me. I'll have to start your automail tomorrow, and I suppose you'll be leaving after I finish with it. So lets just enjoy tonight." And with out further word she slipped under his sheets and fell asleep with her head on his chest.

* * *

Pinako rose early like usual and went down to the kitchen expecting to find Winry rushing to eat something before starting on Ed's automail, only to find Izumi standing by the window staring at the rising sun and her husband busy at the stove. As she entered Izumi turned to greet her. 

"Good morning. I hope you don't mind if Sieg makes breakfast, it helps him relax, and he is a great cook." Said Izumi showing a weak smile.

"Oh no, go right ahead. I never liked cooking myself. Always preferred eating what was made." She said letting out a chuckle. Walking over to the table she realized what was missing. "Have either of you seen Winry this morning, or has she started work already?"

Izumi continued to stare at the sunrise, but gave an unseen smirk and replied. "No haven't seen her, but you should see how Edward slept. We need to change that bandage when he feels up to it."

A little suspicious of the friendly suggestive command, Pinako got to her feet and went to wake the sleeping alchemist.

She passed Winry's room on the way to Ed's and decided to take a peek to see if she was still in her bed, which she wasn't. Continuing on down the hall she stopped at Edward's door and opened it. She looked in only to find her missing granddaughter, still clothed, snuggling closely to Ed, held firmly by his left arm, both still in a deep sleep.

She closed the door quietly with a chuckle and turned to go down to the kitchen again to enjoy the start of this beautiful day. "I have a feeling I will be seeing a whole lot more of that boy."

Ed and Winry didn't wake up until 10:30, and then spent two more hours in each others arms before facing the world, knowing full well that the sleeping in would have raised the suspicion of Winry's grandmother, who probably knew where she stayed the night.

Winry left Ed's room quietly while he tried to dress himself. Never being one ask for help he struggled for thirty minutes until he was finally ready to greet the morning.

When he got down stairs though, he saw Pinako and Izumi standing near Winry with smiles on their faces, Winry was blushing fiercely, and Sieg cooking at the stove preparing lunch with the first smile he had seen on him in a long time. Feeling extremely uneasy, he walked into the kitchen. "Good morning."

The second he spoke the two women turned their sly, knowing smile towards him.

"Edward, how lovely to see you up and about this morning, considering last night and all." Izumi was quick on the trigger and fired off the first comment.

"Yes, it is such a lovely day I would have hated to see you stuck in bed all day. Even with the company you had." Pinako came next, causing a fevered blush to engulf his face, and explain Winry's, which got deeper.

"Urk…" Was all that escaped his mouth about the fact that they had been caught.

The devious smiles of his elders got more wicked at his response.

"No, no. Don't be embarrassed, it's perfectly natural. Why I remember mine and Sieg's first time…"

This sparked a fuse in Ed and he blew up. "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT! WE DIDN'T GO THAT FAR! AND I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT ANYWAY! FURTHER MORE IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSIN…" Ed's voice was lost in a roaring laughter that didn't come from the grinning women, or the blushing blonde, but from the large man with the skillet, catching everyone by surprise.

"Sieg? Come on how can you laugh at a time like this? It was just getting good." Izumi called to her husband

Settling his rumbling chest, he struggled to catch his breath. "Forgive me. I have not laughed that hard in a very long time. Not since before…" He didn't need to finish his sentence to get everyone but Pinako to understand, but she knew enough not to question the reason Izumi was now comforting her giant husband. Instead she ushered the muted Ed and Winry to the garden to continue the conversation in a more serious manner.

* * *

Upon reaching the garden Pinako turned to the two teenagers to see them sharing a warm exchange with their eyes, both with smiles on their faces. Pinako smiled to herself remembering her younger days when she felt like that about her husband. 

"So." She began, "You two slept with each other last night. In the same bed at least." She added seeing Ed's face contort, and wanting to keep this a conflict free conversation. "Does this mean you will be starting a more serious relationship?"

Catching on to the no conflict tone and rhythm, Ed responded, "That depends on what you mean by that," narrowing his eyes.

Winry shyly reached her hand out and entwined fingers with Edward, "Granny, last night Ed and I, came to a realization that we liked each other more then friends. Are you upset by that?" She asked worried, and squeezed Ed's hand for support.

Not missing the statement of trust and support, Pinako just shook her head. "No. no I am not upset. In fact I am relieved to see it finally come. You too have been pussyfooting around for a while, and I was wondering if it would ever happen." Her words started a blush on Winry's face and a shy smirk to start on Ed's. "What I am worried about is how far this relationship is going to go, how quickly it will go, and if you both think that you are ready for it. Especially you Edward. You have seen a lot in the last couple of weeks. Are you sure your ready?"

Ed's face darkened as he thought over the questions. Winry saw his reaction and gripped him harder. "We don't know anything about our relationship yet." She said.

"And as for me." Ed spoke up, and returned Winry's grip, looking into her eyes he said, "I don't know… but we'll find out… together."

Pinako smiled at the heart warming exchange of the young couple. "Very well. I approve, not like it would matter anyway. But, Winry?"

"Yeah?" she asked tearing her eyes off of her love.

"Just come see me before you go too far, unless you think you can handle the repercussions." She said nothing more, just walked back in the house leaving them standing staring after her with more blood in their faces then ever before.

* * *

After Pinako's lecture, and offer for help, the new couple decided to take the rest of the day walking around the countryside, and talking about their relationship, and just spending some quality time. The longest time they spent not talking was when Winry fell in the river and they ended up embracing each other with their lips to keep her "warm". 

The next day Winry started on Ed's new arm. All she really had to do was fix up the spare arm she had been working on for him, but that would still take her the entire day. Mean while Ed was getting that lecture that he was promise by Izumi, and then later getting an "I overreacted" apology from her an hour later after she had fumed and thought it all over. Ed would have liked to spend all that time in the workshop with her but the rest of the house seemed to have different activities planned for him, one including Sieg being forced by Izumi to give Ed the "Birds and the Bees" lecture as payback for making her apologize, and to see them both squirm at the idea. So a completely too embarrassed Ed sat in the living room while a twice as embarrassed Sieg gave the speech in front of two very amused ladies.

The day seemed to go on forever, and all Ed wanted was to curl up with the women he loved and enjoy a nice long sleep. But that didn't seem to be happening anytime soon. Winry hadn't been seen all day, aside from random emergency brakes, i.e. bathroom breaks and refrigerator raids. So at 11:00 he decided to check in on her.

What he found was a sleeping Winry, still clutching her wrench in hand half leaning, half laying on her metal work bench.

"And here I was thinking that she would over exhaust herself." He walked over to her and, regretfully woke her. "Come on Winry, it's time for bed."

"Wha? Bed? No. No time for bed. Must fix arm." She mumbled as she attempted to work her wrench again only to have it pulled from her hands and placed on the table.

Helping her stand up he lead her to her room where he left her to make one last trip to the bathroom, before bed. When he got back to his room, someone had the lights on and was sleeping in his bed. Winry had found a way out of her room and into his bed. He laughed at her persistence, then climbed into bed next to her pulling the blankets up to cover her and wrapping his arm around her. He only had to lay there for five minutes before the serenity and peacefulness that he felt when with her, took and lead him into a deep sleep.

* * *

**KaldarBrokenhorn:** Hope you enjoyed it! Read and Responde please! Thanks to Indignation Judgement who did just that. 


	4. Chapter 4

**KaldarBrokenhorn: **Sorry for not updating last week something came up so I decided to save it for this week and skip last week. Well this chapter introduces an original character. he is the one in the cloak yes and he will have importance yes again. I do hope you like it I haven't gotten any reviews since chapter two.

Anyway. the chapter starts off with a little fluff, Ed and Winry still trying to get used to the relationship, not taking it too fast. I made the Fic rated "M" because I wasn't sure if I was going to put in lemon or lime so I will lessen the rating if I don't. but I would like a response, and the opinion, of readers to tell me if I should or not. If I don't get any responses I will just go with the opinion of the beta reader, who needs to start doing their job :-P. So if you like it and think it needs lemon, if you like it with no lemon but a little lime, if you like it with out both, or if you think I am the worst or sexiest writer ever to grace the hallowed halls of fan fiction, review...please?

I would also like to thank KuramaIs4Me for her inspiration for the beginning of the chapter. I expanded on Winry's fear of thunderstorms that she introduced in her Fic "**Stormy Night, Unafraid Hearts**". It is a great piece and I really enjoyed it. It has lemon so if you don't like it… well suck it up, her piece is worth the little embarrassment.

Enjoy.

The sun rose over Risembool the next day, although no one could see it through the thick dark clouds that were signature to large rainstorms. The rain came down in torrents drenching the lands and homes in the once quiet county side. Thunder boomed loud over the land causing the occasional shaking of window and making it impossible for the country folk to sleep.

One couple of country folk in particular were not totally miffed at the disturbance from their sleep as they lay in each others arms watching the lights from the storm bounce off of the wall.

Ed was lying on his right side staring out the window with his left arm draped over his partners stomach and his chin on her shoulder, touching her cheek with his. Winry clung to his hand with her back pressed tightly against his body. She had never liked average thunderstorms, and this one was worse then any other she could remember. A particularly loud bang echoed through the night and she let out a slight whimper.

Ed let out a small chuckle and pulled her closer to him, "It's alright Winry. There isn't anything to worry about with this storm. It's just a big light show with loud sound effects." This didn't seem to help Winry as much as he had hoped so he continued, "Besides, I wouldn't let anything happen to you. Not now, not ever."

Winry turned on her side to face Ed, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry, I just really don't like thunderstorms. The thunder sounds like gunfire and always gets me thinking about my parents… and how they died."

He wasn't sure what to say to that. He knew he had to support her, but that was something he wasn't sure how to respond to. So he decided to ask some questions "Winry? Do you think, or fear, that the thunder is gunfire aimed at you?"

"Well, I guess sometimes." Another thunderbolt shook the room causing Winry to squeal and hide under the covers. "Yes okay, I'm completely paranoid about being shot. Happy now?" she responded rather angrily from under the blanket.

"Winry…" Ed said, a little hurt at her snapping at him. Scooting down the bed, he pulled the covers over his own head and joined her in the darkness. "Winry I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted to know how to help." He could feel her cringe as she realized that she yelled at him. There was a pause before Ed spoke again. "You know I have always storms where kinda romantic." Even though he couldn't see her face he could tell she was looking at him with disbelief. "Oh come on," he said in his defense, "thunderstorms bring people together, like right now. You cant tell me that you don't like the lack of space between us."

"Well…" she begrudgingly replied, "if you think about it that way…I do like to cuddle, and I guess this does give me an excuse to get closer to you… so I guess they aren't all bad," she smiled as she pulled the cover off of their heads and inched closer to him kissing him deeply before resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes. Another loud bang came from the storm and Winry shuddered, "but I still don't like them. Just the opportunity they give us."

Ed smiled and lay his head back onto the pillow following suit. Letting sleep, eventually, take him away.

Ed woke again a little before six o'clock. Knowing he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep he eased the sleeping Winry off of him so she could continue to sleep, and rose to start the day knowing they were going to perform surgery on him in less then 30 hours.

Ed grabbed cloths from the suitcase on the floor and headed toward the bathroom to change, returning not long after to drop off his pajamas before heading down to the kitchen.

He walked in the kitchen to see Sieg preparing for breakfast. "Couldn't sleep either huh big guy?"

The only acknowledgement he got showing him that the giant had herd him was a deep grunt.

"Well…" Ed said as he sat down on a chair at the table. "So… Sieg…need any help with breakfast?" he asked trying to get him to talk.

Sieg looked over his shoulder at Edward, usually not one for cooking. "Crack these eggs into the bowl over there." He pointed to a bowl and whisk, "Then beat them and add milk, salt and pepper."

Ed cringed at hearing the name of his most hated substance, far surpassing the red water. "Why do you have to add milk to the eggs?"

Sieg remembered Ed's hatred of milk, just smirked. "The milk helps to fluff the scrambled eggs and keeps them from burning. Its especially helpful when you need to make omelets."

"If you say so" he said as he stood to help the big man in the kitchen.

It was still raining heavily outside and it showed no sign of letting up when Pinako and Izumi joined the two half an hour later.

"Mmm… that smells good honey. What's on the menu today?" said Izumi as she sniffed the air.

"Chocolate chip pancakes and scrambled eggs. Or if you prefer Ed has prepared a couple of ingredients for omelets if you would like." He returned looking over his shoulder at her.

"No the scrambled eggs sound good."

"I agree." Piped in Pinako taking a seat at the table. "Is Winry up yet?" she asked looking to Ed.

The alchemist just shook his head. "No I didn't want to wake her when I woke up. She didn't get a lot of sleep last night, erk…" realizing what he said too late he looked to Izumi who was looking extremely smug and devious.

"So you "shared" a bed last night again did you? And what's this about he not getting sleep?"

"She doesn't like thunderstorms Izumi. Hasn't since her parents died during the war by guns. The thunder reminds her of gunshots and scares her, a lot." Said the elder host.

Ed was really relieved that Pinako said what she did, he didn't want to get in to a fight with his old sensei this early in the day. And she apparently didn't want to push it after hearing why.

"Ed you should go wake her up. Her breakfast will get cold, and I need to have her help me prep for your operation."

"Alright." Ed stood from his chair and went to wake up his sleeping beauty.

He got to his room and opened the door, and there she was, just lying there. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds in just one spot. And that spot was like a spotlight from the heavens falling on her sleeping form. He couldn't help but stand there and watch her sleep. He hadn't been there long when a loud thunder bolt shook the ground and stirred the blonde from her slumber to see him looking down at her from the door way smiling.

"Morning." She yawned and stretched her arms above her head allowing the blanket to drop down to her waist.

"Pinako wanted me to come wake you up. Breakfast is ready and she wants you to help her prepare for surgery." He let his eyes roam her body as she stretched, noticing the beautiful curves of her form, before returning to her face.

"Alright, I'll be down in a minute." Ed nodded and turned to leave. "Hey Ed,"

"Yeah?" he asked turning his head back towards her.

"Thanks. For last night I mean. You really helped me get over that storm."

"It wasn't a problem Winry. To be honest I am glad I could help, especially with something that big. Fears are hard to get over sometimes."

"Yeah."

"Alright see you down stairs." He turned to leave again.

"Okay be down in a second." She got up and went to her room to get dressed.

Ed was walking down the stairs to the kitchen again when someone started to knock on the door, really hard. "I got it" he called to the kitchen, "Who could be out in this weather?" he asked himself as he opened the door to a tall man wearing a heavy cloak, with hood covering his face, heavy cloth pants and leather boots coming up to his shins.

"I am looking for Pinako Rockbell." The man said before Ed was able to extend a greeting.

"Oh, okay," Ed replied, a little take back by the man forwardness, "Auntie Pinako, you have a visitor. Please come in." Ed stepped back and motioned for the man to come through with his left hand. He couldn't see his face but he was certain that the man was looking at his arm, or lack there of.

Pinako, who had started for the door when she heard the mans voice, met the man in the hallway before he reached the kitchen. "Julius? Julius is that you?"

"Yes Mrs. Rockbell, it's me." He leaned back a little on his heels and his cloak fell to the ground revealing a handsome face, dark skin, blonde dark brown hair, and blood red eyes. The absence of the cloak also shows his slim armless body with two stubs where his arms should be, each made of metal.

"An Ishbalan with automail arms?" Ed asked a little stunned.

"And legs." Replied the Julius.

"Yes, Julius is a very old customer of mine. But I haven't seen you for years. And what did you do to your automail?"

"I had an encounter a week ago with a bunch of people, that I don't think where people. One of them broke off my arms. I would be dead if it weren't for the military." He said this last part with a lot of unhidden bitter resentment, as if here spat the words.

"I see."

"What did these people look like?" Ed asked, Julius' comments striking his curiosity.

"What does it matter." He answered coldly. "My past is my own. As are my enemies."

"Now hold on…" Ed began, getting annoyed with the man's attitude.

"Edward." Pinako said in a firm voice. Causing Ed to stop talking and look at her. "Go back to the kitchen and finish your breakfast. When Winry is done tell her to start preparation with out me, she should be able to do it by now. And as for you," she said narrowing her eyes at Julius, "I don't know if I still have the old blueprints to your arms, but I am going to have to make the arms myself if you still want what you used to." The Ishbalan nodded to the elder automail mechanic. "Very well, follow me. And with that she lead him to the cellar door where she kept her personal tools and workroom.

Ed was about to use alchemy to see and hear what was going on but as soon as he clapped his hands, a very large hand was placed on his shoulder.

"You should listen to your elders, sometimes there are things you aren't supposed to know. Understand?" Sieg asked lowering his face and giving Ed a dark look making him gulp and nod. "Good. Now eat your breakfast." At that the big man left the shaken Alchemist to find his own way to the table, where Izumi was attempting not to laugh at the look on Ed's face at his brush with death, and went back to the kitchen to wait for the last customer and then clean the dishes.


End file.
